State of Georgia

The last of the original 13 colonies in the United States, Georgia was also one of the seven original Confederate states (and the last state to be restored to the Union in 1870). Now the Peach State is recognized for its rapid growth as 14 of the state’s counties are ranked among the nation’s 100 fastest-growing. The state now has nearly 10 million residents, one of the nation’s top 10 in population. There is something about the state that inspires musicians. Great songs involving Georgia include Hoagie Carmichael’s “Georgia On My Mind,” Gladys Knight’s “Midnight Train To Georgia” and Brook Benton’s “Rainy Night In Georgia.” In 1979, the Carmichael classic won out, earning designation by the state legislature as the official state song. The man who made it famous — Georgia native Ray Charles — performed it before the legislature. The Georgia motto is “wisdom, justice and moderation,” and no one has personified it more than congressman John Lewis, who has been representing Georgia’s 5th district for 27 years. His dedication to protecting human rights is legendary and he is called “the most courageous person the Civil Rights Movement ever produced.”